Whispers of the Heart
by Nora Mutao Frost
Summary: Zareth AU Finale: This is it the final battle, who will win and who will die. Keep your eye on the birdy...you might miss something.
1. Chapter 1

_Whispers of the Heart_

 _Fractured Code_

 _Chapter 28_

 _How do I…?_

The steam drifted up from the bronze bathtub. One had been brought into her room. Flower petals and other oils had been added to the water. It smelled richly of lavender and chamomile. She loved the way they both smell together. Sighing Inky lay her head back and she looked up to the ceiling. She could see through it. It was a perfectly cloudless night and everything seemed perfect. Yet within her heart everything was chaos. She may have been given this beautifully lush room, but there were bars on her windows, and locks on her doors. This was just as well a prison in itself. She wished she had wings like Danny.

The water lapped against her skin, the soreness of her limbs had begun to fade thanks to the hot water. The faw pinkness that it left her skin seemed to make her feel cleaner at least.

"What do you think of the room? I designed it myself." She didn't know this voice. A woman with graying hair walked into the room. Her eyes were just as blue as her fathers.

"I'm sorry should I know you?" Inky asked the woman who just smiled down at her. The woman sat down on the chair and sighed.

"I am your grandmother." She told Inky. Inky sat up looking at the woman with astonishment.

"Grandmother? Dad told me you died a few days ago."

"Oh not Dareth my dear...Danny." The woman laughed richly. Her eyes seemed to sparkle as she did so. "Oh I'm sorry your innocence astounds me." Inky could tell she didnt like this woman. Actually she did nothing but piss her off. She stood up and climbed out of the tub.

"And you want?" Inky pulled off a towel from a rack on the side of the wall.

"Oh do visit with you child. See just what my daughter seen in you, see why Gaya likes you so." She walked up behind Inky pulling a brush from the table and began to run it through her hair. She didn't like this woman being so close to her. She smelled of wine. She was obviously drunk.

"Gaya doesn't want me, she wants my Ink." Inky said looking on with as much loathing as she hoped she could muster.

"Ah I see…" She said pulling her hair back into twin french braids. They were tight and they hurt Inkys head. She hissed in pain every time she pulled on them to tighten them. "So...what about that Zareth guy?"

"Uncle Zareth...they pulled him into a room."

"He's been unconscious since they brought him in."

"Just whose side are you on?" Inky stood up growling at the woman. Her eyes going black.

"I'm not altogether on anyones side. Just the side that gets me what I want." That sounded familiar didn't it? She rolled her eyes walking over to her cloths to put them on again, she had nothing else.

"Now we can't have you going to a coronation wearing those old rags." Inky had to admit the cloths she was trying to get back into looked like they belonged in a trash bin. She turned to see a dress on the other side of the door. Inky gasped looking over it. It was simple really. It would show her features a bit more, but the bottom plumed out as if it were a wedding dress. She sighed running her hands over the silk folds. Her funeral dress more like it. She wasn't stupid, she knew how the world works. Once Gaya had finished with her, and her parents. They wouldn't survive, all of them would be killed. She closed her eyes taking the dress behind the door to put it on. This would be her last day on Ninjago. She walked back from around the other side of the door and looked up at the woman who just smiled down at her.

"Don't you look all grown up Inky?"

"What color is it?" Inky asked. Angela looked a little amazed at this.

"Didn't they teach you colors?" She asked putting a few jewels on her.

"I'm colorblind. All I see is in black and white."

"Its gold." Angela said understanding her colorblindness.

"Gold...how inappropriate for someone who's worth nothing."


	2. Chapter 2

_Whispers of the Heart_

 _Fractured Code_

 _Chapter 29_

 _Within the Closet_

He felt torn to pieces, ripped in three, breaking or cracking into many different pieces. Much like that one time...long ago when he felt all was lost. Here was this angel looking upon him like he were made of silver or gold. He could still feel the heat from the hot springs taking him down to the bottom of the pool. He watched as her face disappeared above him the deeper he drifted. Her name still on his lips. Glass, thats what he was called. Two parts to the same whole, but shattered into many different beings.

Zareth opened his eyes on the grassy null outside of Ninjago City. He knew this place very well. He took Danny there a few times. He looked around seeing many faces he didn't know, yet he knew them so well.

"Good afternoon Zareth." Said a woman with horns, and wings. She looked very soft and pretty.

"Have I died or something?" The woman laughed and shook her head.

"No nothing so permanent. They still need you, they will always need you. But your mind needs to heal so here you sit." He looked around again seeing different people. One girl who looked to be pretty young.

"Who are all of you?" He asked.

"I am Duck your first incarnation. The one to receive the melding powers from the first spinjitzu master." She said kindly. Zareth opened his mouth with a smile only to be glared at by her. "Not related." She spat. A man standing near her laughed and shook his head.

"She's right. She drown and my the one who got it from his old man." He pointed at himself. "The names Colby." He chuckled running his fingers through his hair.

"So your the one who had the kid with Angela?"

"Yup." He seemed very proud of that fact. "Was he good or what?"

"He had two daughters...one that had a son named Roy that I just found out about a bit ago and another that couldn't have children do to an accident...so helped create nindroids. One of which I'm connected to, and the other one is married to the other."

"Really?!" He smiled proudly. There was another standing off in the back. "Thats Peaches, she don't talk much. Afraid of people after she was killed for trusting them to much."

"Understandable." Zareth said waving at her. She just blushed and looked away.

The little girl turned away from him, but held out her hand. Zareth looked at her for a moment.

"Thats Dutchess...she was a Queen once, until her brother killed her and himself." Duck said. Zareth gasped taking her hand and kissing it. Dutchess blushed and pulled her hand from him. Zareth was ever the charmer.

"Zareth madam." Zareth introduced himself. He looked at the man with an instrument over his lap. It was the clarinet he played not to long ago.

"Reed!" Zareth said pointing at the slinder instrument.

"I uh...h-how did you know?" He asked.

"Roy had your instrument in his cabin. It had your name on it." Zareth exclaimed. Reed smiled.

"Oh yes...I helped you play it. You can never tell if something is real here. We're all in your processor ya see?" He said quickly. He turned to look at the last one. One that Zareth knew well from a certain dream. The dream he had that resulted in him pointing a gun at Danny.

"Hello again kid." Glass mumbled. He didn't really want to talk to Zareth at all.

"She regrets it ya know." The room started to become dark. "She hates her old self. She'd rather forget it all."

"Yeah...right…" Glass threw the wheat he had sticking out of his mouth and started to walk off. "Guess she can apologize soon then hum?"

What was that supposed to mean? Zareths eyes opened slightly, cringing from the light in his eyes. He was being dragged down the hallway by his shoulders again.


	3. Chapter 3

_Whispers of the Heart_

 _Fractured Code_

 _Chapter 30_

 _Dealing_

Zareth found himself thrown onto a cold stone floor. His eyes fluttered closed for a moment, or at least he thought it was a moment, when he opened them again he heard the birds singing outside the window. He felt someone curled around him trying to keep him warm. He could hear the soft breathing. He looked down to see Dannys blond hair. Her wings were gone, probably tucked away within her back panels again. He saw them come out once. They stacked together in her back back a deck of cards and held down by the pieces of bronze. It was beautifully crafted. He wished he could commend Julien himself. It was brilliant.

At least his head felt a little better after that nap. But why did they take him out of the room? He could have died in there in a matter of hours.

Zane scanned Danny, she was incredibly weak from what he could feel. The burns around her arms told him they used Vengestone on her too.

"Those bastards." He whispered shakily running his fingers over her hair. He felt her shaking for a second almost as if she were trying to turn herself on from sleep mode to wake mode. She wasn't able to, she was far to weak. Zareth scooted as best he could into the sunlight.

"Come on babe...let me see those pretty wings." He trailed his fingers over her bare back. He needed to find the seam or at least try to. His hands ran over her back and he gasped. Her wings weren't folded in, they were shattered. He could feel the wing struts. He looked at his hand there was oil coating them. She'd be unable to use her power here...not this time. Zareth closed his eyes. It was time to use his know how again, just like in the beginning. But not right now. Not yet. Right now Danny needed him. He put his arms around her closing his eyes again.

Danny slowly looked up at Zareth, the sun was high in the sky now. His arms were around her. So he had to at least be okay right? He was so cold when he arrived in the room. His hair had begun to freeze. She had attempted to keep him warm with her body heat although there wasn't much to go around.

She tried to sit up but couldn't. Her back felt so strange. Empty somehow. She tried to flap her wings, but gasped when she couldn't feel them.

"Shhhh Danny...its okay." Zareths calming voice in her ear. He pulled her back down his hands running through her hair. It was almost lulling to her. She closed her eyes only to hear the door slam open. She was pulled to her feet. Her knees buckled and she went back down on her knees again. She felt someones arms around her. She turned to look at Zareth whose eyes were on her.

"We'll be alright, I promise." He said She wished he was right...because she couldn't see a way out of this one. Not this time...even if he was Zareth.


	4. Chapter 4

_Whispers of the Heart_

 _Fractured Code_

 _Chapter 32_

 _We need a little you_

Danny and Zareth were pulled along the stony floor. It was cold to Dannys bare feet. Zareth kept his arms around Danny trying his best to keep her walking.

Ahead of them were double doors. Within the room was a group of people and a stage made entirely of venge stone. As soon as Danny and Zareth stood on its floors they buckled falling to there knees.

"Mom! Uncle Zareth!" Inkys voice called. Zareth looked up to see her in the golden dress. He gave her a soft smile. She was on a wooden platform so she didn't touch the vengestone. Her feet clicked the floor as she tried to run toward them. Cryptor stepped between them.

"Uncle Cryptor please...help us." Inky pleaded. He didn't say anything. His red eyes just bore into her. "So much for promises." black tears running down her face.

"Should never have trusted you." Zareth spat

The doors slammed open and Gaya walked into the room. Mindroid walking just behind her with paper and an ink pen in hand. Inky just stood there hands down by her sides.

"Well come on shorty put the paper down and lets get started." Gaya barked. Mindroid dutifully placed the paper and pen down in front of Inky.

"Now you remember what to write don't you?" Gaya asked. Her voice purred.

"Yes ma'me." Inky whispered slowly taking the pen in her hand. She held her hand up. Ink forming in her palm. As she scribbled in her hand things began to happen all around them. Things began to rewrite themselves. But most of all was the crown that formed on Gayas head. Even the robes she wore began to adorn her in gold and jewels. One of which was a large green jewel that she had hidden away at the lighthouse.

"Perfect! Perfect Inky thank you!" The woman held up the rolled up parchment placing it down on a velvet pillow held up by Mindroid. Inky gasped seeing what looked like a large sword created with stained glass.

"Do you like it? Its created by your mothers wings. Beautiful don't you think. Inky gasped as Gaya took two steps forward plunging it through Zareths back. The unmistakable sound of sliding through metal. Zareth looked down at Danny. She didn't let go, how could she let him die alone?

Where was the pain? Where was the blackness that he expected to follow death? He felt something warm sliding down his back. He turned to see the sword sticking out of Gaya's chest. The smile on Inkys face.

"It just so happens that I'm really good at writing stories. Must run in the family."

"You can't get rid of me so easily. I'm still in your blood."

"Maybe...but I'll deal with it." She scoffed and laughed. "Cause I'm Zareths niece...and if there's one thing I've learned from him over these last two years...I'm awesome." She laughed watching the woman slide from her sword. Inky dropped the sword to the floor and ran forward diving into her families embrace. She really needed them right now. She nearly gave up, at least for a little while.

"You little brat...you ruined everything." Her crown fell down around her feet and turned into a puddle of ink. She ran at Inky intending to do as much damage as she could before she died. There was a loud whistle and Mindroid jumped from the table punching the woman in the face. She fell into a huge puddle of ink. He jumped up and down on the puddle to make sure she was gone. Cryptor just chuckled.

"She's gone Stumpy. Lets get them home."

"Oh no need." Inky said. She ran over to the green crystal still on the floor. "Its a waystone. I can use it to get home."

"Then you should." Danny whispered. "You can go home." The look on Dannys face said she didn't mean Ninjago City. She meant the Cloud Kingdom. "I have no right to keep you hear simply because of my own desires. You should go...back to your real parents." She broke down hugging Zareth to her. This was all just to much for the femme. Zareth picked her up and made for the door. His tears mixed with hers. It must have been a little to much for the fusion because he fell into his two pieces and Dareth just held Danny to him on the floor. Zane held them both.

"But...I am home you two are all I've ever known. Why would I want to go back. If my parents have all this ink power they could have wrote a story that I'd have been okay and I'd end up with them aga…" She took a deep breath and she looked around the room. A man with brown hair and deep blue eyes looked at her. He had a smile on his face. He nodded his head and walked through a door that disappeared from sight. "I was meant...for this." Inky ran forward hugging Danny and Dareth. "I was meant for you." She dropped the stone. When they pulled away from one another they were back at the firehouse once more, almost as if they never left.

Inky looked around the room it was just as messy as she left it. She could hear talking downstairs. Her parents, and someone else. She smiled and walked down the steps to see a very tall young man with black messy hair and glasses. Her heart clapped down, what was this feeling? Who was this man? She walked forward grabbing his hand and disappeared into the greenhouse sketch pad and pen in hand. This was new...she liked new...she liked...him.


	5. Chapter 5

_Authors Notes: Grab yourself a tissue cause this one and the next one are tear jerkers._

* * *

 _Wind of Time_

 _! of 2_

The clouds were gray with a soft twinge of brown. The wind whipped the leaves around the road. Soft tufts of snow still lined some of the foliage around the graveyard.

Tombstone after tombstone lined the large area. But their was one spot that was well hidden from people. In an area disguised as a wall their was a door hidden within moss. A select few knew about it. A soft tapping on the ground signaled the arrival of someone this gate knew well. A bronze and silver key was placed into the lock and turned gently. The soft click was all you heard. The barings were well oiled and greatly kept. Within were rose bushes, willow trees, benches and more tombstones. One in particular was close to the Willow tree. It was a large star placed on brown marble. The words Dareth on the front in bold letters. She ran her fingers over the star and kissed it before walking farther into the back.

"I'll be back in a moment sweetheart." She whispered.

In the very back their was a tombstone put up without anyone there. It was a bright blue marble star with the words Zareth on it. She sat down and slowly started to clean the grave off. Even shined up the marble a bit. The elements weren't kind at all to it. It had only been a year since Dareth had passed. Her heart had broke. It was sudden and unplanned for just as she had imagined it would be. It wasn't a gun, or a knife that took him, it was time. The thing that kills everyone in the end. No one hides from it. He lived for be a pretty old age. But...with Dareths passing, so did Zareth. Danny sat back and looked at the sky. The snow was lightly coming down now.

"Kind of wished it would have been a little sunny today." She scoffed at her own thought. "Well at least its not storming." She tried doing her best Zareth impression. She laughed to herself, it was only a half hearted laugh. "I promised...I promised both you and Dareth that I wouldn't...do anything to myself until after Zane left. So here I am...not dead, still kicking. Looking after Inky...well sort of. She's off, married, has kids now...in another dimension. Wish she'd visit a little more." she sighed and leaned her head back against the star.

"I visit Zane on occasions, but he's mostly looking out for Odis now. Nothing to unusual there. Its just hard sometimes you know...being alone. Being with someone for so long never being alone, coming home to a quiet house and...theirs nothing there." Danny rested her cheek against her knee. "Did I say how much I missed you yet?" she whispered running her fingers over the marble. She pulled out a bottle from her purse.

"Your favorite…" she put a bottle of root beer down. She opened one up for herself.

"Got another one?"

"You know these things gum up your systems." Danny said holding up another bottle for Zane. She turned to look up at the tall nindroid. He walked around and sat on the other side of her.

"He loved you. Very much." He took a drink of the root beer and shuttered. "Guy what do you two see in this stuff?"

"Its not beer Zane." Danny giggled. "Thats what I see in it." Danny was never a big alcohol drinker. Never seen the reason in buying the stuff. It didn't do much for her at all.

Danny leaned her head down onto Zanes arm. She wasn't tall enough to put her head on his shoulder. Zane leaned over kissing the top of her head.

"He left a message for you...to play when you really needed him." Zane said plucking the tape from his wrist and put it into a player and handed it to her. He started to get up to give her some privacy, but he felt a gentle tug on his jacket.

"Stay...please. I don't...want to do this alone." She said. Her fingers ran over the play button. It took her almost four solid minutes to finally push the button.

'Hey there babe, I...oh man how do I even begin. Its spring now, and the leaves are finally starting to grow back in. Dareth says he's not feelin so hot, and this might be my last chance to do this. So here I am...saying what I never thought I would. It was a good run you and me. Their were moments when I thought 'hey this is it. The end of me, or the end of you...thats it end of the game.' but we did it. Walked this world together till the very end. I love you babe. I don't even think you know just how much I loved you.' their were some shifting over the line. She heard a sniffle and a small cough. 'So yeah...what can I say huh? You...made my heart sing louder then anyone elses...then you gave us a kid! Ho boy! Inky was awesome. Not genetically ours, but she was...a peach." He laughed and it sounded like he sat back. "Man...did you see her kid? I named her you know. Danika. Beautiful little ball of ink. Splat they call her." Danny nodded her head almost answering him. "Oh Dannygirl...you made my life worthwhile." He breathed out. "It was wonderful, and so were you, thank you, I love you, and goodbye." Danny choked back a sob. She thought she'd never hear his voice again. She slowly stood up and hugged her brother to her. The sobs were long, and harsh almost like the day Dareth died.

Danny wasn't sure how long they were there. Zane had long since sat down pulling her so her back was against his chest. His arms were still around her. His head rested on top of hers. She would stop crying and start all over again, but it had been some time now since she had cried.

"Am I keeping you from something? I don't wanna…"

"I'm exactly where I need to be." Zane whispered. Danny let out a breath she sounded like she had been holding for some time. Or at least it was hard to do so.  
"Are you sure?" Danny asked. Zane nodded his head.

"Your my sister Danny. Why would I want to just run away from you when you obviously need me." Zane said. Danny smiled and sighed.

"Zane...your Zareth is showing." Danny whispered turning to look up at her brother. "You're awesome." She hugged him. He sighed and nodded.

"Yeah I get that a lot."

"Oh sarcasm. You do that now huh?" She asked. Zane laughed and nodded.

"I've lived near Jay and kai most of my life now...I think I learned from the best." Zane said. Danny slowly stood up picking up her empty bottle of root beer and put it into a trash can. She walked by Dareths tombstone and kissed it again leaving a single blue rose on it. She yelled over her shoulder as she waved.

"Happy Birthday Zareth!"


	6. Chapter 6

_Wind of Time_

 _2 of 2_

 _53 years later_

It was the end of the year and Christmas was right around the corner. Danny had just put a kettle of water on the stove, and started to cut the cookies. One of hers and Inkys favorite past times during the holidays. She wasn't around anymore. Had her own family to worry about. Splat was an adult now, and so was their second child...what was his name again? She sighed and shook her head. Placing the star shaped cookies on the cookie sheet and placed them in the already warmed oven. Their was a fresh batch on the plates. All ready to be iced. The Kettle began to whistle. Danny picked it up off the stove and poured the water into a mug. The steam felt good to her face, it was rather cold out now. She put the cocoa into the mug and sugar too. Swirling it again and carried it over to the table. Her joints were starting to hurt her a bit. Specially in the cold.

Sitting back and closing her eyes she smelled the nice chocolate aroma of the chocolate in her mug. She looked out the window and smiled to herself.

"Its snowing again Dareth." She said to the picture on the coffee table. It was one of her favorites. Her and Dareth standing behind Inky just before she left that dimension for college. She was glad Inky had found someone to love her almost as much as she loved her father. That all to common fear of not being able to have children washed away when Dareth told her they should adopt her. A little street rat, pickpocket. Zareth loved that little girl so much. Danny giggled to herself. She had left Zareth to babysit Inky once or twice during the summer. She came home from work to them both being asleep on the couch. The Lion king was still playing in the background. Inky at that time had never had the luxury of being able to watch movies so she had a lot of catching up to do. Zareth said he'd see them all with her. He was such a devoted Uncle to Inky. He even danced with her at the wedding. Danny leaned forward putting the mug on the table. She smiled.

"Julien...thats his name…" She sat back and giggled. "My grandsons name." She said and looked up at the ceiling as if directing the conversation to someone there.

The doorbell rang. Danny looked up from her musing over the pictures on the coffee table. It was less lonely when she had the pictures to look at.

She stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. Outside was a boy taller then her...well then again everyone was taller then her. Although this boy in general used to fit in the crook of her arm.

"Odis!" She smiled and held out her arms for the boy. He gathered her up in his arms. He knew that smell...something changed about him. "How are you?" Danny asked leading the way into the warm room. Walking into the kitchen she pulled down a mug from the rack and poured some hot water into it to make Odis some cocoa.

To Odis Danny looked tired. She handed Odis the cocoa and put some finished cookies down for them.

"Its been a while hasn't it?" She asked realizing that Odis didn't answer her previous question. Taking that as a 'Please don't ask' that kids normally had. Although… his eyes were...a different color.

"It has." Odis took a sip of the chocolate before looking up at Danny squaring his shoulders.

"He's gone...isn't he?" Danny asked. Odis nodded.

Odis watched Danny slowly reach down and put her mug on the table. It looked to him like she was trying to think of something. She didn't move her head from looking down at the mug, but her eyes moved up to lock onto his.

"He told you...right?" Danny asked him. Odis looked down at his own mug. A few marshmallows covered in chocolate floated around in the liquid.

"Yes ma'me." Odis said. "Did you want me to do it now?" He asked. Danny slowly stood up and and walked into the kitchen turning off the stove. She then walked out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. She ran her fingers over Dareths old clothing, she just couldn't get rid of. The dress she had wore when she first met Zareth, the dress she wore while they were on vacation. Even the shirt she had gotten from that mall right after they met even though it was in pieces. Her wedding dress hung not to far from it. She kept all of it inside the closet. She sighed picking up the necklace with a star on it that Dareth always wore, and then the warm jacket that Zareth always wore. She pulled them on and left the room. Walking out she nodded her head to Odis. Odis reached out taping the back of Dannys neck. She smiled at him.

"I won't run...I've waited for this moment since Dareth died...but I promised your dad that I'd wait...for him." Danny said. She turned and looked at him. She kissed his cheek and smiled. "Thank you Odis...for being a friend to my son. Take care of each other." Oh yes...her son...she had for...Otto...his n...his n…

Danny felt Odis' fingers press on the back of her neck and whispered something in her ear. It was a code word and a series of numbers placed into her processor. It would shut her down...not kill her, but it would be like she was asleep. A very very long sleep.

Odis looked at her as she slumped against him, she looked just like she was asleep. An angel to him, in life, and now in death. He turned and picked her up walking her out the front door.

Odis had her in a bridal carry. He didn't want to carry her any other way. She used to hold him like this as a child. Otto was his best friend for as long as he could remember. He, Danika (Splat), and Otto were best friends. They however lived in another dimension...Otto acted just like his father...and for some reason...he felt that bothered his mother so he hardly came to see her.

Arriving at the graveyard Odis walked her up the familiar pathway, the familiar trees that had been there for centuries waved in the cold wind. The familiar hidden gate. The key slid in perfectly and didn't make noise as it turned. It looked like someone had been keeping it oiled. He wasn't sure who. He walked by the names he knew. Mostly past ninja. Names he learned about in the classroom. He sighed as he spotted the brown marble star.

"Here we are Aunt Danny. Your new home." He lay her down and sighed. He didn't move her from the position she was placed in. she wasn't much for the hands over the heart. Actually she hated that. She just wanted to look like she had fallen asleep like that. He leaned down pushing the hair out of her face.

"I'll come visit soon Aunt Danny. " He kissed her forehead and stood back up.

Ten Years later

Dannys eyes onlined and she looked around the graveyard. A soft song was playing. She knew that tune, it was one of her favorites. Odis was dancing with what looked like a very young red headed nindroid. Her hair went well past her hips. It spirals so elegantly and she had flowers stuck in a braided crown on her head. Danny smiled and then closed her eyes again.

Twelve years later

Odis was sitting down on the grave holding a little bundle in his hands He looked up and smiled at her.

"Now I know how dad felt when he had me...he's so small." Danny watched and ran her fingers over the little boys head. He had bright red hair and shockingly blue optics. Danny smiled and looked up at the trees. They were different. How much time had passed. She wasn't sure. She couldn't find her voice to ask. She looked up at the star and closed her eyes again.

Thirty years later.

Danny opened her eyes and looked around. Odis wasn't there...no one was there...she had onlined on her own. She gasped feeling something sharp in her processor. She was glitching. She made a pained noise

"Its okay Danny...its degradation." It was Zareths voice. "You'll be alright, just let go."

"Zareth?" She whispered. Her voice was choppy and grinded in her throat.

"Shhh come on Dannygirl...come home."

"I'm coming...just...let me...grab my...coat…" Dannys voice broke and her eyes closed again. The light faded again. And her power source faded out.


	7. Chapter 7

_Afterward_

 _100 Years Later_

The names Kino and I'm a fusion. Yeah strange word fusion. Means you take one thing and another and squish them together like gross looking putty. Except me...I make this fusion stuff look good. One half Kira one half Omino. Kira was the Master of Melding and Omino was the master of earth. All of which...were siblings. Both nindroids in fact. Grandkids of Danny and Dareth Darzuski.

Cool thing about nindroids we live a lot longer then humans. Cool right? Sort of. You see...Dannys been living this whole time and well...she stopped. Me being the new Zareth of this outfit I decided to take it upon myself to go find out why Danny just stopped existing. So its off to the frozen wastes. Technically where Danny left her base of operations. When last she saw it was when Aunt Inky went through and let her out after she died about fifty years ago. Ah well should be two more bodies left in the tubes to inhabit.

Trudging through the hip deep snow I began to go toward the cave. Damn it's cold. They apply named this place. Geez…

The cave was as Zareth remembered it. Cold as hell and dark as night. Lighting a torch I wanted inside looking through what looked like laser burns on the walls. My heart clamped down this was gnarly looking. I knew them, I've seen them many many times throughout my years.

Okay let me be specific here. I am Kino, but I'm also Zareth. You see I'm his incarnation...the newest one. I'm a bit cooler of course, but I'm still him.

I chuckle to myself thinking about it. Zareth can now call Danny grandma. Oh how I miss that striking yellow hair...and bright green eyes.

Yet what welcomed me was a war zone. Parts of the main servor had been blown up, the tanks were shattered. Much to my heart break any and all nindroids were broken into pieces. All of them...even Spencer. This wasn't what I hoped to see. But this meant that Danny was gone and I was alone.

'Not really Kino. You still got us.' Kiras soft voice said.

"Oh yeah a voice in my head and a bunch of incarnation rejects." I didn't mean to lash out, I missed her was all. Running my fingers through my black and purple hair I walked around seeing what could be found. Much to my satisfaction the staircase and door were still latched shut with the heavy snow above. The radioactive door was still cl...I stepped back and looked again. On the other side of the room sat the door. The radioactive room was wide open. I was fully nindroid now and not a half human so I couldn't have been harmed if I had walked inside. But then again…

Slowly walking forward I seen inside the room. Well that wasn't radioactive at all...there stood a bunch of broken up pieces of another set of tubes. But there was another at the other end of the room. A large crack over its window. My heart latched onto this one tank. This was all I had left. Along the bottom was a few letters. 'When you have no more faith, have a little Hope.' When I walked closer it became apparent that this one being wasn't Danny at all. Nor was it Spencer. It was something completely brand new. A brand new model. It floated around in the pink liquid inside. Much to my horror completely naked. I'd need a blanket. Running back over to the cabinets I ran back with a large blanket. I gasped dropping the blanket. She was staring right at me, she was awake. I stepped over to push the release button only for her to pull away covering her face as if afraid of me.

"Hope, is her name." It was a video on the side of the wall. It was Danny on the screen. Things were exploding all around her. "I was creating her for you Zareth. I didn't have anymore androids anymore and I wanted someone new to take on my elemental power. So I created her...please don't be alone Zareth, you never were good at that. I put as much of me into her as I could, and twice as much of you. A daughter for you." Danny ran her hands over her eyes and she gasped hearing something heavy hit the door and throw it to the side.

"Love her Zareth...she's all yours." Danny disappeared and the feed disappeared.

Running my fingers along my face I turned to look at the girl in the glass. Reaching out and pushed the button.

"Hope...have a little...hope." I whispered holding up the blanket as she stepped out. She looked up at me as she sat there at the bottom of the tank. So scared and very much alive. Slowly I reached up running my fingers along her face. She had to be just as tall as Danny, but twice as skinny. Just how long was she in that tank? Wait...do nindroids like her lost or gained weight? Oh boy…

"Hey...uh...I'm Kino. Zareths new incarnation." Hopefully she understood that.

"I know...I am reading your algorithms quite _satisfactorily_." She said and jumped when I threw the blanket onto her. Why was she so afraid of me? Was she awake...during the attack?

"Its okay babe. I ain't gonna hurt you." I told her. She looked down at the blanket and then up at me again. She reached up. I just laughed and took her hands placing them on my face. Much like my Great Uncle Zane my skin was titanium. My eyes were bright blue.

Now that she was out of the tank I could see that she had blue hair and bright blue eyes. Her wings were still kind of slushy but they were a gold color, and the windows looked clear as glass. I held out my hand. She gathered up the blanket in one hand and held mine. This was going to be one hell of a ride back to Ninjago City.

 _ **Authors Notes: So heres my next AU. The Kino AU: If you would like me to write it in the comments please just a simple yes or a no would be great. Don't think its a bad thing if you comment no. It just means that I won't do it and thats all. Zareth will pop up from time to time as a personality along with his other past lives as well as Kira and Ominos father who is Danny's son. Otto.** _


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